Strawberry Pretzel Salad (Printable)

Layers of salty crust, creamy filling, and fresh strawberries create a refreshing sweet and salty delight.

# What You Need:

→ Pretzel Crust

01 - 2 cups crushed salted pretzels
02 - 0.75 cup melted unsalted butter
03 - 0.25 cup granulated sugar

→ Cream Cheese Layer

04 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
05 - 0.75 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

08 - 6 oz strawberry-flavored gelatin (Jell-O)
09 - 2 cups boiling water
10 - 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine crushed pretzels, melted butter, and 0.25 cup granulated sugar. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
03 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl. Add 0.75 cup sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream with vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until smooth.
05 - Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled pretzel crust, sealing the edges to prevent gelatin leakage. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
06 - Dissolve strawberry gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Let cool to room temperature without setting.
07 - Arrange sliced fresh strawberries evenly on top of the cream cheese layer.
08 - Carefully pour the cooled gelatin over the strawberries. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until fully set.
09 - Slice into portions and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's equal parts showstopper and genuinely easy—no fancy techniques, just layers that do the work for you.
  • That salty-sweet pretzel crust is honestly the thing people ask for, not politely, but with real longing.
02 -
  • The seal between the cream cheese layer and the baking dish is everything—if you don't press it to the edges, gelatin will weep through and make the pretzel crust soggy, which sounds fine until you bite into it and realize the integrity of the whole thing is compromised.
  • Don't skip letting the gelatin cool to room temperature, and definitely don't let it start setting before you pour it—if it's even slightly gelatinous, it won't flow properly and you'll end up with a lumpy top.
03 -
  • A sharp hot knife and a damp towel make the difference between ragged servings and clean squares that actually look like you planned them.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, assemble it the night before—the extra resting time makes it more stable for transport and more delicious for eating.
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